Grand final teams are on the big run

Demon double: Can Latrobe recreate their celebrations from last year or will Ulverstone spoil the party in Saturday's NWFL grand final. Picture: Scott Gelston.

When assessing the credentials of Saturday’s grand finalists, the first place I looked was the back of the NWFL program.

While wins and losses were important, the more critical stat in a stop-start season I was looking for was the amount of games each side had played consecutively in the lead-up to the big dance.

All season coaches have been bemoaning the lack of continuity in the roster due to the bye that was created late in the pre-season.

So it should come as no surprise that Ulverstone and Latrobe find themselves fighting it out for the flag after enjoying unbroken seven-game runs at the business end of the year.

The Robins have probably enjoyed the ideal run – seven straight games, with the final one being a tough second semi-final against Wynyard, then a week off to freshen up some sore bodies.

The Demons have had a tougher task – four roster games which they needed to win three of just to get a home elimination final, then a trio of cut-throat finals.

There’s no doubt some of the Latrobe players might be feeling a few more bumps and bruises than their Ulverstone counterparts.

But the reigning champs are on a roll and are still in a weekly groove, while the contenders have to reset slightly and start again.

Moving on from each team’s pathway, and we arrive at the key players that could decide the result for their team.

For me it all starts in the ruck and the battle between Luke Dyson and Tom Reynolds.

Dyson was one player who would have appreciated the break after hobbling around in his comeback game from an ankle injury a fortnight ago, while Reynolds was more than serviceable in his first senior game last week.

When fully fit, Dyson’s greatest strength is his ability to read the play and position himself accordingly to get a intercept mark.

If Reynolds can break even in the ruck and make himself a marking target around the ground then the Demons are well on the way.

In defence, both teams can generate plenty of run, especially if they allow each other to play a loose man back, while the respective forward lines have multiple options of varying heights.

The midfield will be superb battle of top-line players, with the likes of Holland, Coghlan, the Flint’s and McCrossen going head to head with the Davies brothers, Dilger, King and Brett.

It promises to be a titanic struggle, but I think the Demons might just continue their roll.